Burn
by Tokyobabe2040
Summary: In Breaking Dawn, we are introduced to the nomad vampire Garrett. This is how he thinks and feels during chapter 37. These are his feeling about the Volturi, about their battle, and about Kate. A lot is taken from the book FYI as this is placed in it.


This is in chapter 37 of Breaking Dawn. These are the thoughts and actions of the nomad vampire Garrett.

xox

I held back a snarl as I listened to the so called _godly_ Volturi try and think up excuses to destroy the Cullen's and Denali's coven. Every single accusation they'd made against the two families was shot down with nothing but honesty. They used no trickery against the old fiends but were met with nothing but lies and deceit. Everything the Volturi did was a horribly obvious attempt to find a fault in the families, their unusual yet extraordinary little girl and way of life.

I spit some of the excess venom that had pooled in my mouth in response to my distaste for the foul creatures in front of us. These were who my brethren listened to? These were the so called peace keepers of our society? I'd never been more proud to be a nomad in my entire second life. I felt badly for those who did take it upon themselves to listen, to even go so far as respect these beasts that smiled wickedly at the thought of destroying a nearly defenseless child.

Well… Not all of them wished destroy the child. A wave of sickness washed over me as I saw the way Aro longingly appraised the little girl. As if she were nothing more than a rare antique at some auction taking place in his neighbors backyard.

"This amazing child-" he reached out like he wanted to touch the poor girl, and I found myself rejoicing at how far away he was from the child-"if we could but know her potential- know that she could always remain shrouded in the obscurity that protects us. But we know nothing of what she will become! Her own parents are plagued by fears of her future. We _cannot_ know what she will grow to be." He stopped momentarily; scanning his ugly film covered eyes over every one of our little army's faces and then looked back at his own.

"Only the known is safe. Only the known is tolerable. The unknown is… vulnerability." He said in a tone that sounded as though he was trying to explain himself to the so called witnesses he had brought along. He wanted to keep his hands free from any kind of dirt that could hurt his clear reputation.

The other one, the worse one, smiled an animalistic grin.

"You're reaching Aro," came Carlisle's hopeless voice.

"Peace friend." I couldn't stand when the monster said that. It made every fiber of my being burn, burn as when I was first changed into what I am today. Every ounce of my being wanted nothing more than to rip him to shreds and burn the said shreds to ash. "Let us not be hasty. Let us look at this from every side."

I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't remain silent as these old, power hungry fools twisted reality in order to get their way. "May I offer a side to be considered" I said in as calm of a tone as I could muster. I took a step forward and held myself tall; they would see no fear in me.

"Nomad," he said in his sickeningly sweet tone, giving me permission to speak on. Even if he hadn't acknowledged me I would have spoken out.

I looked past the disgusting things that everyone seemed so keen on obeying to the lot of people they had brought to accompany them, to witness their _justice_. "I came here at Carlisle's request, as the others, to witness. That is certainly no longer necessary, with regard to the child. We all see what she is.

"I stayed to witness something else. You," I pointed my finger at the mass of vampires, recognizing two of them right away, "Two of you I know- Makenna, Charles- and I can see that many of you others are also wanders, roamers like myself. Answering to none. Think carefully to what I tell you now." I said, fighting to keep my voice as calm as I possibly could.

"These ancient ones did _not_ come here for justice as they told you. We suspected as much, and now it has been proven. They came misled, but with a valid excuse for their actions. Witness now as they seek flimsy excuses to continue their true mission." I proclaimed, letting my voice get slightly more urgent with my words of warning. "Witness them struggle to find a justification for the true purpose- to destroy this family here." I waved my hand back toward the Cullen's and Denali's leaders.

"The Volturi come to erase what they perceive as the competition. Perhaps, like me, you look at this clan's golden eyes and marvel. They are difficult to understand, it's true. But the acient ones look and see something besides their strange choice. They see _power_."

"I have witnessed the bonds within this family- I say family and not coven. These strange golden eyed ones deny their very natures." I could hear nothing but the utmost respect spilling into my voice as I spoke of the strange and amazing ways of the two groups of vampires. "But in return have they found something worth even more, perhaps, than mere gratification of desire? I've made a little study of them in my time here, and it seems to me that intrinsic to this intense family binding- that which makes them possible at all- is the peaceful character of this lifetime sacrifice. There is no aggression here like we all saw in the large southern clans that grew and diminished so quickly in the wild feuds. There is no thought for domination. And Aro knows this better than I do."

I spared the monster a disgusted glance before I continued my little tirade. I was met with nothing but Aro's sickeningly sweet and repulsing fake, patience.

I suppressed a growl that clawed at my throat like a thirst worse than what I had felt in nearly a decade. "Carlisle assured us all, when he told us what was coming, that he did not call us here to fight. These witnesses-"I once again pointed behind myself to illustrate my point, "agreed to give evidence, to slow the Volturi advance with their presence so that Carlisle would get a chance to present his case.

"But some of us wondered-"I glanced quickly to Eleazar's face, remembering my conversations with him back at the Cullen's home- "if Carlisle having truth on his side would be enough to stop the so-called justice. Are the Volturi here to protect the safety of our secrecy or to protect their own power? Did they come to destroy an illegal creation, or a way of life? Could they be satisfied when the danger turned out 

to be nothing more than a misunderstanding? Or would they push the issue without the excuse of justice?" I let the word justice hang in the thick air momentarily.

"We have the answer to these all these questions. We heard it in Aro's lying words- we have one with a gift of knowing such things for certain- and we see it now in Caius's eager smile. Their guard is just a mindless weapon, a tool in their master's quest for domination."

"So now there are more questions, questions that _you_ must answer. Who rules you nomads? Do you answer to someone's will besides your own? Are you free to choose your path, or will the Volturi decide how you live?

"I came to witness. I stay to fight." I said firmly, my voice showing exactly how I felt about the Volturi and their plot to destroy the most controlled and astounding vampires I had ever been so blessed to come upon in all my travels. "The Volturi care nothing for the death of the child. They seek the death of our free will."

I turned to the ancients in question now, not hiding any of the pure hatred I felt for them that burned in my eyes like the fire that burned in my core. "So come, I say! Let's hear no more lying rationalizations. Be honest in your intents as we will be honest in ours. We will defend our freedom. You will or will not attack it. Choose now, and let witnesses see the true issue debated here."

I glared venomously at the Volturi once more, my eyes scanning each face and trying to show them how I was not afraid of them or their tyranny. I could see my words had shaken them slightly, jarring their cool composures. Mostly though, they just looked angrier, annoyed maybe.

Suddenly I thought of the witnesses. If the Volturi did attack, they would not let the witnesses spread word of their deeds done here. They would not let their crimes be known to the rest of the vampiric population. "You might consider joining us. " I began, looking at each of their faces as well. "If you think the Volturi will let you live to tell _this_ tale, you are mistaken. We may all be destroyed, but then again perhaps not. Perhaps we are on more equal footing than they know." I glanced knowingly at Benjamin and Zafrina. "Perhaps the Volturi have finally met their match. I promise you this though- if we fall, so do you."

I then took a deep breath. It wasn't as if I was really out of breath, I hadn't been out of breath in nearly three hundred years, but it was comforting. Also it helped me gage the reaction of the Volturi and their crowd of witnesses. My nose always told me so much more than my eyes. I stepped back from where I had made my declaration, and took a place next to Kate. She looked at me with her beautiful golden eyes and I was able to think more clearly again. I dipped down into a defensive half crouch, ready to be attacked at any moment for my outburst against the Volturi.

I watched as that sickeningly sweet smiled crept back onto Aro's disgusting face. "A very pretty speech, my revolutionary friend." He said in his twisted voice.

I stayed in my defensive position, still ready for the onslaught that was coming for me. I knew I had marked myself for death with my tirade and I had no special gift that they might value. I was a dead man no matter what after today. "Who am I revolting against, might I ask? Are you my king?" I growled, baring my teeth. "Do you wish me to call you _master_ as your sycophantic guards do?"

"Peace Garrett-"I hated the way he said my name- "I meant only to refer to the time of your birth. Still a patriot I see."

There were no words for the hate that I held for this man. I hated him more than I hated his brothers, or whatever the other Volturi were to him. He stood their lying through his teeth about every action they had made. At least Caius was honest with his intention. He didn't hide behind lies.

"Let us ask our witnesses," he said in his too sweet of voice. Listening to him made my stomach wish it could heave. "Let us hear their thoughts before we make our decision."

I quit listening to him after that. I couldn't stay focused on his voice, I could only focus on the intense hate I felt for these despicable three. Their lack of concern for these people that they knew they would have to kill made my throat clench. My vision was blurred and red began seeping through my sight as I thought of the acts they were willing to commit to keep control over everything they could.

I was shaken from my thoughts when a familiar voice greeted my ears. Makenna looked worried. "Are those our only choices?" she asked carefully, "Agree with you or fight against you?"

Fake horror made its way across Aro's features. Maybe, I thought bitterly, when I am as old as he is I will be able to lie with such ease.

"Of course not, most charming Makenna. You may go in peace, of course, as Amun did, even if you disagree with the council's decision."

I snorted. How far would they get though? How far would they be able to run before the Volturi sent their little tracker after them?

Makenna and her mate left. I suppose I really shouldn't have blamed them but the only thing I could think right then is how cowardly they were. Thirty-seven vampires remained. Thirty seven was less than what we had. Thirty seven gave me hope.

Aro walked away and spoke with the rest of his group. I didn't pay attention to what he was saying. I didn't care; I couldn't listen to his disgusting voice anymore. I couldn't stomach another syllable. Instead I turned to the woman beside me. The woman I had met only weeks ago. Kate.

She looked strong and so wounded. Her blonde hair moved about her with the cold wind, her golden eyes focused and filled with rage. The beautiful orbs were focused on the pile of ashes close to where the Volturi stood. Her sister…

I couldn't imagine how she must have felt right then, the pain, and the anger. Her sister was torn from her for absolutely no reason. Her sister was destroyed as an attempt to force their party to attack. She was sacrificed like a pawn, disposable and worthless.

I reached out and lightly rested my hand on her shoulder in a show of comradeship. I wanted her to know that I was here for her. I wanted her to know that I would do everything in my power to help her get vengeance for her sister's lost life. And she looked into my red eyes like she understood.

All around us everyone began saying their goodbyes, but I didn't want to say goodbye to Kate. I had just met her. I had just begun to get to know this extraordinary woman. I was amazed by her and her self control. Her life style astounded me and I wanted to know more. Not only about her unusual life style, but also about herself as a person. I wanted to ask question till my curiosity of her was sated, till there was nothing else to ask.

"If we live through this," I whispered to her, letting my tone and eyes show how serious I was, "I'll follow you anywhere, woman."

I watch her reaction to my whisper carefully. She gasps softy and then after a second rolled her eyes. She looked toward our impending doom and mumbled bitterly, "Now he tells me…"

I can't help but smile at that. She must've felt some of the same odd and wonderful feeling I was feeling for her. We simply watched each other for the last few seconds, memorizing each other's faces in case we had to try and find one another in whatever life was after this one.

Bella's words came far too soon. "Get ready." She whispered ominously. "It's starting."

a/n: please tell me what you think? I would really appreciate it. I know it's a little rushed.

A/N2: (added November 29, 2008) Okay so I went back and fixed all the mistakes I could find. Please tell me if there are any others and I will go back and fix those ASAP. Also, anyone wanna be a beta for me so I won't have these lil problems anymore? Haha.


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